BISMARCK, N.D. – The March of Dimes and the North Dakota Department of Health are working together to make North Dakota’s pregnant women and new mothers aware of text4baby. Text4baby is the nation’s only free mobile information service designed to promote maternal and child health through text messaging. Women who text “BABY” (or “BEBE” for Spanish) to 511411 receive three free text messages a week, timed to their due date or their baby’s birth date, through pregnancy and up until the baby’s first birthday. The messages address topics such as immunization, nutrition, birth defect prevention, safe sleep and developmental milestones.

“The North Dakota Department of Health is excited to be working with the March of Dimes to promote critical free health and safety information to women who need it the most through text4baby,” said Kim Mertz, Family Health Division Director for the North Dakota Department of Health. “The text4baby service includes over 250 messages with the most critical information that experts want pregnant women and moms with infants younger than 1 to know.”

Text4baby launched a State Enrollment Contest on Mother’s Day. The contest is a friendly competition among states to connect even more women to critical health and safety information. The top states that enroll the highest percentage of pregnant women and mothers in text4baby between May 12 and Oct. 21, 2013, will be announced and recognized during the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting in Boston, Mass., in early November.

“Research shows that women who use text4baby feel more prepared for parenthood,” said Reba Mathern-Jacobson, Director of Program Services for the March of Dimes North Dakota Chapter. “They are confident with their greater knowledge, leading them to better health for them and their babies.”

“TheText4baby State Enrollment Contest is a great way for states to actively participate in making sure pregnant women and new moms across the country get the information they need about immunizations, appointments, resources, and other health and safety information that leads to better health for them and their babies,” said Sarah Ingersoll, text4baby director, National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition. “Text4baby is proven effective and with the March of Dimes North Dakota Chapter and the North Dakota Department of Health’s help, more moms can get signed up to receive these valuable messages.”

More information about text4baby can be found at www.text4baby.org. For more information, contact Kim Mertz, North Dakota Department of Health, at 701.328.4528 or Reba Mathern-Jacobson, March of Dimes North Dakota Chapter, at 701.552.9180.

About text4baby

Text4baby is the nation’s only free mobile information service designed to promote maternal and child health through text messaging. A free service of the nonprofit National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB), the Founding Sponsor is Johnson & Johnson. Founding partners include Voxiva, CTIA – The Wireless Foundation, and Grey Healthcare Group (a WPP company).Text4baby’s public-private partnership also includes over 900 national, state and local organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Women who text “BABY” (or “BEBE” for Spanish) to 511411 receive three free text messages a week, timed to their due date or their baby’s birth date, through pregnancy and up until the baby’s first birthday. The messages address topics such as immunization, nutrition, birth defect prevention, safe sleep, and developmental milestones. To learn more, please visit text4baby.org.

Bethany and Mia of Sioux and Hidatsa Descent – North Dakota

Sanford Clinic in Fargo will host the Coming of the Blessing Photo Exhibit offered by the March of Dimes.

The Coming of the Blessing is a March of Dimes initiative that focuses on American Indian and Alaska Native families by providing prenatal education, training and resources that encourage women to include traditional beliefs, lessons from their ancestors and their partners in their circle of support during pregnancy, allowing them to make healthier choices for themselves and their babies.

More than 4.8 million American Indians and Alaska Natives live in theUnited States. Their cultures are deeply rooted in respect for nature, life, ancestors, women and children with strong family and community bonds. Pregnant women are believed to be special and cared for by their family and the arrival of a baby into a family is considered a great blessing.

Despite these beliefs, American Indians and Alaska Natives have the second highest rate of premature births among all racial/ethnic groups in theUS. More than 14% (or 1 in 7) American Indian/Alaska Native babies are born prematurely each year. Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death and puts babies at risk for lifelong health problems.

The Coming of the Blessing photo exhibit depicts the stories of American Indian/Alaska Native families whose paths were changed forever by the birth of a premature baby. It uncovers both the adversities and the unexpected blessings experienced by these families through pictures and storytelling.

The photo exhibit will be on display at Sanford Health – Fargo from June 10^th – 14^th in the clinic lobby of their 737 Broadway location. The exhibit is free and open to the public and will continue to tour the region throughout the summer with scheduled exhibits in Aberdeen, Fargo and Minot.

To find out more, please contact the North Dakota Chapter of the March of Dimes at 701-235-5530 or visit www.comingoftheblessing.com.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit www.marchofdimes.com.

The North Dakota Chapter of the March of Dimes (MOD) is pleased to announce that Cassie Skalicky has been named as its NICU Family Support Specialist. Skalicky will be based at the Essentia Health Fargo hospital campus, which offers the only March of Dimes NICU Family Support program in the state.

In conjunction with its national Prematurity Campaign, the March of Dimes had developed NICU Family Support program to provide information and comfort to families with a critically ill child in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Guided by former NICU families, the program is built on a family-centered philosophy and is implemented nationwide through March of Dimes chapters. It addresses the needs of parents, siblings, grandparents and the extended family throughout the hospitalization, during the transition home and in the event of a newborn death. The program provides them with parent-to-parent support to families within the NICU setting, sensitive and engaging educational materials that introduce parents to the staff, equipment, procedures and conditions that they may encounter in the NICU, in addition to enhancing programs to better serve the specific needs of each NICU and the populations it supports. This includes support and preparation for those with high-risk pregnancies, information and support for siblings and the extended family, support for Spanish-speaking families, a photo keepsake program, easing the transition from NICU to home, and bereavement support. As the NICU Family Support Specialist, Skalicky will also serve NICU staff with professional development opportunities.

Skalicky graduated fromMinnesotaStateUniversity-Moorheadwith a BS in Psychology and a Masters in Public and Human Services and Health Administration.  Skalicky’s own personal experience relates to how she became involved in the March of Dimes NICU Family Support program. She and her husband, Jason, have a nine-year old daughter named Grace and a three-year old son named Andrew.  Andrew spent 137 days in the NICU and is a twin to their daughter, Natalie, who passed away 11 ½ hours after they were born at 23 weeks 3 days.

Skalicky is passionate about her family and enjoys playing the keyboard and singing in her church’s praise band, teaching Sunday school, and painting.  Her works have been displayed at numerous coffee shops and wine bars in theFargoarea.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit www.marchofdimes.com.

WhereYourMoneyGoes

When you donate to the March of Dimes, you help babies and families! Rest assured that every dollar you give is greatly appreciated — and used wisely. Watch this video to find out where your money goes, and be sure to share it with your friends and March for Babies donors. It’s important to remind them how hard their donations are working! http://bit.ly/XkBqut

First Baby Of 2013 Has Great Expectations – March of Dimes Celebrates 75 Years of Healthy Births

         December 2012 — Babies born in 2013 have a better chance for a long and healthy life than earlier generations, thanks to 75 years of health advances, made possible in part by the March of Dimes. 

The March of Dimes says babies born next year will live longer and are less likely to have a birth defect than those born 75 years ago.  They are also much less likely to die from an infectious disease thanks to widespread use of vaccinations to prevent polio, rubella, measles and several other infections.

The March of Dimes was founded in January 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. A polio sufferer himself, FDR founded the organization to “lead, direct and unify” the fight against polio. The March of Dimes funded the development of the Salk vaccine which was tested in 1954 and licensed a year later, as well as the Sabin vaccine which became available in 1962. Nearly all babies born today still receive this lifesaving injection.  More information about March of Dimes history can be found at marchofdimes.com/75.

“The birth of a baby is a special moment for every family. Babies born today and in future generations will live longer and healthier lives, in part, because of 75 years of March of Dimes commitment to the health of mothers and babies,” said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse president of the March of Dimes. “Today, we are hard at work to prevent premature birth, which affects nearly a half million babies every year, so that one day all babies will get a healthy start in life.”

Each of the four million babies born in the United States this and every year benefits from March of Dimes research, education and work to give all babies a healthier start in life. Babies born in 2013 can expect to live about 78 years, 14 years longer than an infant born in 1938, when the life expectancy was only 64.  They are also almost 8 times less likely to die in infancy.  Babies born next year also will be screened for 31 genetic, metabolic, hormonal and/or functional conditions, including PKU (phenylketonuria) within the first hours of birth. March of Dimes grantee Dr. Robert Guthrie developed the mass PKU test, the first of many newborn screening tests infants now receive, and allowed for prevention of intellectual disabilities through diet. Today, every baby born in every state in the U.S. receives screening for dozens of conditions that could cause catastrophic health problems or death if not detected and then treated promptly at birth.

Many serious birth defects have declined over these 75 years. For example, neural tube defects or NTDs (birth defects of the brain and spine) have decreased by nearly one-third since 1998, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandated that grain foods such as bread and pasta be fortified with folic acid.

The March of Dimes is working to prevent the epidemic of premature birth.  Through Strong Start, a partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the March of Dimes has been getting out the word that “Healthy Babies Are Worth the Wait.” The campaign urges women to wait for labor to begin on its own if their pregnancy is healthy, rather than scheduling delivery before 39 completed weeks of pregnancy.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies, March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

The nation’s premature birthrate is the lowest in a decade, but it is still above the March of Dimes’ goal of 9.6%.

The nation’s premature birthrate is 11.7% of all live births — the lowest in a decade, according to figures from the National Center for Health Statistics. The March of Dimes has set a goal of 9.6% by 2020.

“We’re on the right track,” having reversed a trend that included increases every year for decades,” says Jennifer Howse, president of the non-profit pregnancy and baby health group. Its 9.6% goal reflects the adoption of measures such as getting mothers to stop smoking and providing access to prenatal care.

In 2006, the nation’s preterm birthrate peaked at 12.8% after rising steadily for more than two decades.  Preterm birth (before 37 weeks of completed pregnancy) is the leading cause of infant death during the first month of life.

Having 64,000 fewer preterm babies born from 2006 to 2010 resulted in healthier babies as well as a potential savings of roughly $3 billion in health care and economic costs, the report says.

Key signs of  improvement in this year’s report:

– Four states (Vermont, Oregon, New Hampshire and Maine) earned an “A” for meeting the 9.6% goal; in 2010, only Vermont earned the top grade.

– 45 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico posted improved preterm birthrates from 2009 to 2011, earning 16 of them better grades.

–The states with the highest preterm birthrates — Mississippi (16.9%), Louisiana (15.6%), Alabama (14.9%)  —  are among 48 states, along with Puerto Rico (17.5%) and the District of Columbia (13.7%) that have all formally set goals to lower their preterm rates 8% by 2014 from their 2009 rates.

Although the preterm birthrate “is not good enough yet,” Howse says, “there now is genuine national momentum and leadership to just stay at it until we get the job done.”

Key factors that continue to drive the rate of premature births in the USA include maternal smoking, insufficient access to prenatal health care services and late preterm births (infants born between 34 and 36 weeks of gestation).

Though late preterm babies are usually healthier than babies born earlier, they are three times more likely to die in the first year of life than full-term infants, the March of Dimes says. About 8% of deliveries are late-preterm, sometimes the result of medically unnecessary elective inductions and Cesarean sections.

“It’s very, very important to try to support pregnancies so babies can be born as close to 39/40 weeks as possible,” says pediatrics professor Deborah Campbell, director of Neonatology at Montefiore Medical Center in New York.

Just because a baby makes it to 37/38 weeks, “what we call full term,” doesn’t  mean that they are fully developed, Campbell says. “These babies are more likely to end up in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), more likely to have acute health issues, and now we’re finding, more likely to have issues as they reach school age.”

“Babies need those extra weeks for full development of the brain and lungs,” Howse says, adding that unless it is a medical necessity, women should wait until at least 39 weeks to schedule an induced labor or C-section.

Worldwide, 15 million babies are born too soon each year and more than 1 million of those infants die as a result. The USA ranked 131 out of 184 countries in premature births according to a May 2012 report by the March of Dimes, Save The Children and others.

I am an international student from MSUM, majoring in Community Health. I am an intern for the fall 2012 at March of Dimes in Fargo. I am thoroughly enjoying each and every day, as I get to work with the variety of projects. This semester I would be accomplishing a lot of projects with March of Dimes. I feel honored to work with a very experienced supervisor and friendly staff members in promoting healthy pregnancy in the state of North Dakota. The NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) Family Support program will also be interesting to learn more about, where we provide information and support to the families that have a critically ill baby. All in all, I will be doing a lot to promote healthy pregnancy, making brochures and educational posters, setting up booths at the colleges and community health fairs, helping with the Smoke-Free ND campaign, and much more.

The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of women of childbearing age, infants and children by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. The March of Dimes supports a yes vote on Measure 4 on the November ballot to ban all smoking in all places of employment.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s 2006 report, “The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke,” exposure to secondhand smoke by non-smoking pregnant women may lead to premature birth.

Premature birth affects one in every nine babies born in North Dakota, making it one of the most serious health problems facing our state today. The Institute of Medicine reports that in 2005, the annual societal economic cost (medical, educational and lost productivity) associated with preterm births in the United States was at least $26.2 billion. During that same year, the average first-year medical costs, including both inpatient and outpatient care, were about 10 times greater for preterm ($32,325) than for term infants ($3,325).

In addition, exposure to secondhand smoke during pregnancy increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, a key contributor to infant mortality.

We urge all North Dakota voters to vote yes on Measure 4.

WHITE PLAINS, NY, OCT. 3, 2012 –  Preterm births fell for the fifth straight year in 2011, and the improvement was across the board — every racial and ethnic group benefitted, and there were fewer preterm babies born at all stages of pregnancy, according to preliminary birth data released today by the National Center for Health Statistics.

The US preterm birth rate peaked in 2006 at 12.8, after rising steadily for more than two decades and dropped by more than 8 percent to 11.7 in 2011. The March of Dimes estimates that this single year improvement means about 16,000 babies were spared the health consequences of an early birth.

“About 64,000 fewer babies were born preterm in 2010, when compared to 2006, the peak year.  All this improvement means not just healthier babies, but also a potential savings of roughly $3 billion in health care and economic costs to society,” said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. “The March of Dimes credits this success to prevention efforts by its many partners including state and local health departments and hospitals.”

Despite the continued improvement in prevention of preterm births, an estimated 460,000 babies were born preterm in the United States last year.  Preterm birth, (before 37 weeks of completed pregnancy,) is the leading cause of newborn death (death in the first month of life) and is the second leading cause of infant death (death in the first year). Babies who survive face an increased risk of life-long health challenges, including cerebral palsy, breathing problems, intellectual disabilities and other problems.

The March of Dimes set a goal of lowering the national preterm birth to 9.6 percent of all births by 2020. The March of Dimes says this goal can be achieved by a combination of activities: giving all women of childbearing age access to health care coverage, fully implementing proven interventions to reduce the risk of an early birth, such as not smoking during pregnancy, getting preconception and early prenatal care, progesterone treatments for women who are medically eligible, avoiding multiples from fertility treatments, avoiding elective c-sections and inductions before 39 weeks of pregnancy unless medically necessary, and by accelerating investment for  new research on causes prevention of preterm birth.

Through Strong Start, a partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the March of Dimes has been working to promote its Healthy Babies are Worth the Wait® campaign, which urges women and health care providers to avoid scheduling a medically unnecessary delivery before 39 weeks of pregnancy because important development of the brain, lungs and other organs occur during the last few weeks.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

The March of Dimes North Dakota Chapter is now accepting applications for their 2013 Community Grants Program. The goal of the community grants program is to identify and fund community-based programs addressing the health concerns of pregnant women and infants in the state of North Dakota.  Priority will be given to applications that address premature birth prevention, particularly late preterm birth in ND and disparately high preterm birth rates among Native American women.

Community Grants can be made to support activities such as: implementation of March of Dimes community programs (e.g. Coming of the Blessing, and Becoming a Mom/Comenzando bien®), purchase and distribution of March of Dimes health education materials, implementation of our 39 Week Toolkit, or a conference for health professionals.  Grant applications are due October 22^nd and may be obtained via our website, www.marchofdimes.com/northdakota, by calling the March of Dimes office at 701-235-5530, or by clicking here. Each award will be between $500 – $3000.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish language Web site at nacersano.org.